State agrees with city of Hoboken regarding removal of construction code official and case of SWAT lieutenant

Hudson Reporter

Sep 25, 2012 | 3174 views | 1 | 24 | |

HOBOKEN – Hoboken City Hall issued a release on Tuesday regarding two recent decisions in which the city prevailed over former employees.

This month, the New Jersey Civil Service Commission issued a Final Administrative Action upholding the city’s decision to terminate long-time Construction Code Official Alfred Arezzo.

“We are continuing with our search for a permanent construction code official and invite applications from all qualified individuals,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “While the process can be lengthy and costly, the city will continue to vigorously defend itself to protect the interests of our community.”

According to the release, Arezzo had been suspended following his alleged refusal to attend mandatory sexual harassment training, and alleged insubordinate behavior towards the City’s Business Administrator. Then, Arezzo was terminated after he allegedly returned a cell phone without its SIM card and a computer without its hard drive, according to the Final Administrative Action document from the state.

The document describes Arezzo’s resistance to his superior, relatively new city Business Administrator Arch Liston, and notes that Arezzo’s long tenure in the job. It states, “As was clearly evident during the hearing, the appellant and Liston were having a power struggle.”

In addition, the Honorable William J. Martini, United States District Court Judge for the District of New Jersey, Monday dismissed the federal case filed by former Police Lt. Angelo Andriani against the city of Hoboken, the Hoboken Police Department, Mayor Dawn Zimmer, Police Chief Anthony Falco, and Police Captain Edelmiro Garcia.

Andriani was the lieutenant who was in charge of the Hoboken SWAT team when the team engaged in controversial behavior on humanitarian trips to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, and was disciplined for other matters as well. See past stories by clicking the links below or read the court order on the city website here.